On June 25, the Palazzi Community Center hosted the opening of the guest artist exhibition and book presentation Di Mare e di Vento by artist Angelo Rizzone and poet Amerigo Rizzone. Students, faculty members and other attendees were invited to discover paintings and poems inspired by the sea, wind and memories of the creators.

The presentation began with introductory speeches by university students, who emphasized the close cooperation between the university and local artists. This partnership highlights the need for students to learn about the Florence art scene. The resulting exhibition will run for three weeks and include an artwork sale.

In Di Mare e di Vento, paintings created by Angelo Rizzone are combined with poems written by his son Amerigo Rizzone. In the student interview, Angelo Rizzone said that most of his works are inspired by places he considers to be significant, including Sicily where he is from, and Florence where he has been living for almost fifty years. He sees the sea and wind as symbols of eternal change in our lives and explained the history of some paintings.

A book presentation followed the exhibition, which allowed people to consider how paintings and poems were combined to create the story.

Di Mare e di Vento created a calm and reflective atmosphere where visitors could experience both visual art and poetry in unison. Angelo Rizzone's paintings focused on the sea, the wind, and natural landscapes, while Amerigo Rizzone's poems added another layer of meaning by exploring themes of memory, emotion, and personal reflection.

Throughout the exhibition, recurring images such as the sea, cypress trees, open skies and solitary figures emphasized the connection between nature and the human experience. The sea and the wind became symbols for the different stages of life, showing how people, like nature, are constantly changing and adapting. The illustrations and poems complemented each other well, with each piece of writing helping viewers better understand the emotions behind the artwork, while the paintings gave visual life to the ideas expressed in the poetry. Together, they created an exhibition that encouraged visitors to slow down, reflect, and connect with both the art and their own experiences.

Angelo Rizzone described Di Mare e di Vento as a meditation on life, using the sea and the wind as symbols of change and hope. “The wind is calm and the wind is stormy. It’s just like the seasons of life,” he explained, emphasizing how nature reflects human experience. One painting shows a figure looking toward the sky while a storm clears behind him, illustrating that though the change has started, you may not realize it.

His creative process draws heavily from personal memories. A painting of two figures beneath a star-filled sky was inspired by childhood summers in Sicily, while details from Tuscany were blended into the same scene, connecting different parts of his life. Rizzone also shared a lighthearted story about his four-year-old son smearing the wet paint of the stars, creating an effect that ultimately enhanced the artwork.

One of the greatest challenges was selecting paintings that complemented his son Amerigo’s poems for the book, balancing both artistic visions. When asked to summarize the project in one sentence, Rizzone said, “Try to read the words of the wind.”

Di Mare e di Vento offered attendees more than an art exhibition- it created an opportunity to engage directly with the artists, hear the stories behind their work and take part in thoughtful discussions about creativity, memory and personal expression. By combining visual art and poetry, the event focused on the interdisciplinary collaboration while strengthening the Florence community and AUF students. Attendees left the event with a greater appreciation for how art can preserve personal experiences, spark reflection and connect people to cultures around them. Exhibits like this foster meaningful cultural exchange and provide students first-hand opportunities to experience the Florence community.